


Step to It

by Cyan (vehicroids)



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ballroom Dancing, F/M, Mentions of Berseria/the Berseria cast because I had slots to fill in dammit, Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing With The Stars AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2020-10-25 13:55:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20725286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vehicroids/pseuds/Cyan
Summary: If someone had told Rose a year ago there would be a point in her track career where she would end up competing in a dance competition, she would have laughed. Now, as she stood in front of theWaltz of Famestudios, she wondered just what on earth she was getting herself into.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A special thanks to [Tye](https://perichat.tumblr.com) for being my beta! She's an angel

Finally, the Olympic season had ended. Rose could put away her shoes and running gear and vegetate on the couch for a while. Her gold medal sat proud and polished on her mantle, catching her eye once in a while as she passed by. It wouldn't be a complete rest. She would have interviews still, along with commercials and the odd television cameo.

As her manager, Eguille was the one who sorted all that stuff out. However, as her adoptive brother, he did send her on some nasty jobs. There was the time he made her go onto a baking show, which ended in disaster. At least her eyebrows grew back.

Whenever she saw his name light up her screen, she never knew whether to answer it. On one hand, money was money. On the other, the last thing she wanted was to end up as a guest on that ruin exploring show, or whatever Eguille had signed her up for. She ignored his first two calls for this reason. By the third call, she realised she couldn't leave him hanging forever.

Before Rose pressed _ answer _, a thousand scenarios flooded her mind. What would it be? A commercial? Some sort of grand opening back in Pendrago? She pressed the phone to her ear and Eguille immediately rattled off details. As soon as Rose heard three certain words, she interrupted him.

"You're kidding, right?"

"The prize money is good," Eguille said. "Plus, as an athlete, you could actually win this."

"Sure, if it was, I dunno, street dancing. But _ Waltz Of Fame _? Eguille, come on."

"Could you at least think about it?"

After a moment, Rose huffed. "I'll think about it."

Dial tone.

_ Waltz Of Fame _was a live television show where celebrities from all over the country were paired up with dancers on the show. The celebrities were taught how to ballroom dance and compete against each other for the prize money and the feeling of victory. The dances ranged from slow waltzes to fast-paced Charlestons. There were celebrities of all kind invited to attend, the young and the old, the athletics and the shut-ins.

Eguille was right in theory: as an athlete, Rose could be a good dancer. What he neglected to remember were the incidents of their youth, such as prom. She could remember all too clearly stepping on her date's dress and the horrifying sound of the fabric ripping. It had been around five years since then, but it was a memory Rose did not relish.

She had every intention to say no, but the idea of it kept popping up like a pushy salesman. Being taught how to dance by a professional may prove useful, come to think of it. The outfits were cute, and it was a chance to make new friends. The prize money was certainly tempting as well, especially as she had nothing left to do for the rest of the year.

It was a bad idea, and yet…

Rose never liked to be beaten. This was a chance to prove herself. So when Eguille called the next day, she gave him her answer: yes, she wanted to be on the show.

That was how, a month later, she ended up packing her things and making her way to _ Highland Studios _, a television company in the east of the country. She checked into a moderately priced hotel, her new home until she either won or was booted from the show. As soon as Rose was settled, she got a call, inviting her to the studios. Damn. She'd hoped she had more time.

Upon her arrival, she was met by a woman with her dark hair cut into a neat bob. She introduced herself as Sindra, a producer for the show. With a wave of her hand, she gestured Rose to follow her as she gave her a brief tour of the lot. The dance studios weren't far, but they weren't on the lot. Despite this, the lot was huge, filled with costumes and settings for what Rose assumed was for future shows.

As Rose watched staff run around sorting things around her, the reality was sinking in: she had agreed to a dance competition. She couldn't wait for the look on Brad's face when he found out about this. Excitement and nerves bubbled in her stomach.

Sindra led her to the dressing rooms to get ready. A champagne pink dress hung on a hook with pink heels underneath. When she put it on, the dress came to just below her knees and the skirt flared out like a bell. She felt silly dressed up, but when she twirled it was kind of fun. She couldn't quite recognise herself all dressed up like this. Rose grinned at her reflection - this was going to be fun.

A knock on the door interrupted her fun: ten minutes before it was show time. A lump of anxiety lodged in Rose's throat and she swallowed. It would be fine. It would be fun. She slipped on her shoes - feeling more like a Disney princess than a wannabe dancer - and headed out the door.

Backstage was busy, bustling with staff with clipboards and earpieces. Rose stood for a moment as she realised she had no idea where she was going. A friendly hand touched her elbow, and Rose cast a glance to her right. She knew this man. Sorey, a fellow contestant. He hosted a show about ruins and relics, the kind one would watch in the middle of the day when nothing else was on. Sorey was apparently a nice guy, but Rose had never met him before. There was a first for everything.

"You're going my way, right?" he asked.

Rose nodded. "You nervous?"

Sorey laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "A little. You?"

"Nah. As long as I don't break something live on stage, I don't care."

Yet as time moved on, Rose couldn't help the tinge of nerves. She was no stranger to live television, but this was different to her usual sporting appearances. Sorey and Rose took their places with the other celebrities, waiting for their big reveal on stage.

They lined up in order of announcement - Rose was wedged between Mikleo and Zaveid. Mikleo was a famous author, writing mostly factual books about history that Rose would never read. He supposedly wrote fiction under a pseudonym, but who really knew? Zaveid, on the other hand, had his own television show, _ Zaveid the Whirlwind _. It was a show about travelling around the world, from the biggest cities to the quiet forests. The show was interesting, but the host left a lot to be desired.

The show started with a swell of music and a performance from the professional dancers. The contestants watched on a screen backstage, and Rose couldn't take her eyes offscreen. Their movements were effortless, like flowing water, like floating. Was this what was expected of them? No, of course not.

Right?

The judges took their places at the table. Melchior was old now, but in his youth, he was a dancing legend. Now he was clinging to what little fame remained. On the other hand, Shigure was still in his prime years, taking the judge's chair as a hobby in between gigs. Artorius was in between. Had an injury not made him lose the use of his right arm, he would likely still be a dancer.

Next the presenter was introduced - Magilou. She wore clothes that reminded Rose of a jester, only with less bells hanging from her. She was loud, expressive, and the crowd loved her. It was rumoured that there was something between her and one of the dancers, Velvet, but no one really knew.

Finally, the celebrities were called on stage one by one. Stepping out onto the main stage was blinding, and Rose had to blink a few times to adjust herself. She waved at the crowd and was met with thunderous and continuous applause. Her heart was pounding. Nothing felt like this - this was suffocating.

As soon as the stage was set, it was time for the matches. Rose didn't know who she was hoping for. She stared ahead where she assumed a camera was sitting - she couldn't quite see anything. The first pair was Mikleo with Edna, and from the exchanged looks they gave, neither were happy about the match. Ouch. Edna was reportedly as sullen as her brother, who she had been standing beside moments ago.

The next pair was Sorey and Alisha, who seemed pleased to meet each other. Then it was Zaveid, who was paired with Lailah. She looked at him, a little unsure how to approach, but he immediately wrapped an arm around her. That did not seem to put her at ease.

Rose was next. She took a step forward, standing tall with a smile on her face. Rose could explode from excitement as Magilou paused for effect. Her partner would be:

_ Who? _

Her smile faltered. She looked at all the dancers, but while they were all looking back at her, no one was waving her over. One of the dancers was kind enough to give a pointed look to a sour young man. Rose hid her disappointment; she was hoping for someone with some kind of life in them. He said nothing when she stood beside him, brushing creases from her dress.

Rose was glad when the night ended. She pulled her hair free from its neat do, running her fingers through it to flatten it down. Someone tapped on her shoulder and she turned, startled.

"Hey," Dezel said. "Get to the studio early tomorrow."

Rose nodded. "Sure, see you in the morning."

This was going to be the start of something long and arduous.

***

Six in the morning, and Rose was awake.

She had no idea what early meant for Dezel. Some classify nine as early. Others classify five as early. Rose didn't have his number to ask, so her plan was to head to the studios as soon as she'd eaten. She was sitting in her hotel room, nibbling on a piece of room service toast. She knew she would need something more substantial, but she couldn't eat yet.

Rose leaned on her palm, idly flicking through social media. Her notifications had blown up, mostly full of fans from the show. Some were well wishers and some were malicious; enough people sent messages expressing their distaste for Dezel and Rose together. For a moment, she wondered if Dezel had posted these, but that would be a lot of sock puppet accounts for something he couldn't change.

She finished what she could of the toast and glanced at the time - 6:10. Rose really should get going. She left the remaining bits of toast and stood; she was already in her training gear, and her hair had been pulled back into a loose ponytail.

The dance studios were, thankfully, a short distance away, and Rose decided to walk. She was no stranger to early mornings. The morning air felt like greeting an old friend. The dance studio building was huge, and Rose could easily spot it in the distance. On the inside it was plain. There were fourteen studios, all with the same wooden flooring, the same white walls and the same mirrored walls in the same place. Every room had a name on the door, celebrity name first, then dancer.

Most of the rooms were empty with the lights off - she couldn't have been the first one here. By the time she reached the end of the hallway, she found one room with the light on. Rose checked the name: Rose and Dezel. She peeked her head in the door, and Dezel was there, fiddling with a green iPod.

"G'morning! So first of all, _ early _ is not a time," Rose said as she walked in. "Second, we really should swap numbers for this sort of stuff."

Dezel didn't say anything. He turned around, mouth turned down into a permanent frown. So this was the game he was going to play - Rose wasn't scared of him.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

He was straight to the point, and Rose could respect that. "Yeah. Let's get started!"

Rose regretted those words almost immediately.

She was no stranger to training, that much was obvious. Ballroom dancing took all of her athletic training and threw it out the window. It used muscles Rose didn't know she had and wore them down to nothing, yet Dezel wasn't one to take a break. The dance was too quick, too spinning, too _ much. _ Why Dezel picked a cha cha cha, Rose didn't know.

She could match Dezel's pace, but the movements weren't fluid. She was stiff and uncomfortable - how could she smile through this? Every step was wrong and Rose couldn't move to the music. It didn't help that Dezel was intense and short tempered. He loved to point out every mistake she made. Rose was almost done with his nonsense.

8am struck, and the production crew came in with cameras. Rose pushed herself away from Dezel, horror striking to her very core. Oh no. No no _ no _. She wasn't ready for this. She swallowed back her apprehension, instead giving the crew an easy smile. This was how she would die, on camera while trying to perform. Sindra gave her a bottle of water and offered her a seat, both of which she took.

“I’m sure this’ll be a question you’ll get sick of hearing soon, but what’s it like working with a blind partner?”

Rose blinked, then burst out laughing. Dezel was _ not _ blind. If anything, he had 40/40 vision, a sixth sense, or something that let him know Rose screwed up. Her humour faded when she realised that no one else was laughing. She looked over at Dezel, who was standing at the other end of the studio with cameras in his face. There was no way.

"Are you serious? Look at him," she said, gesturing over to Dezel. "He's the opposite of blind!"

Sindra paused. "You didn't know?"

Rose didn't want to admit it. She spent the previous night looking up who Dezel was, but his Wikipedia page was almost blank. Rose laughed uncomfortably, wishing the ground would swallow her whole. Thankfully, production realised they weren't going to get much out of Rose and decided to leave the pair alone.

The door closed behind the crew, and Rose was all too aware of the silence. Dezel was leaning against a wall, not saying a word. She wasn't easily intimidated, but his silence was unnerving. She moved over to him and he didn't react.

“So you're… blind?” Rose asked. She had half a mind to wave a hand in front of his face, so she did. Dezel batted her hand away.

“I am. And don't do that.”

Rose tilted her head. “How can you see my dance moves? How can _ you _ dance? Do you just feel it on the wind or something?”

Dezel pinched the bridge of his nose. “No. What sort of crap have you been watching on TV?”

Rose groaned. Did he need to be so difficult to deal with? She stared at him expectantly, and he sighed before continuing.

"Legally blind is different to full sight loss," he explained. "I have optic neuropathy, which means I have a poor field of vision and I can't see fine details. When I was first diagnosed, they tried to give me a walking stick and shades."

Dezel scoffed bitterly. Rose wondered how much he could see, but decided against asking that.

"But you can still dance?" she asked.

"Yeah. I learned when my vision was better," he said.

"That's pretty cool, you know."

Dezel said nothing else, instead shifting his attention to the iPod. As she watched him set up again, Rose gained a second mission: crack Dezel open like a walnut.

***

The week flew by, and Saturday hit Rose like bird droppings.

She was ready - she hoped she was. They had practiced in costume, which was so much worse than flat shoes. Not to mention she had to do it all with a smile on her face. She was getting there with dancing, or at least Dezel wasn't complaining as much. Rose classed that as a victory, even if Dezel hadn't spoken much to her over the past few days.

She stood backstage with the other contestants, anxiously bouncing on her heels. She couldn't wait to get out there and her dancing, but she and Dezel would be dancing sixth that evening. They watched the others first, which made her stomach knot. Edna and Mikleo just about managed a Charleston, with a few missteps from Mikleo. That put Rose somewhat at ease, as she couldn't possibly be the worst act that night.

"We're next," Dezel said.

Rose nodded in reply, her throat dry. As soon as Edna and Mikleo's turn was up, Rose grabbed Dezel's hand and moved on stage with him. He said something, but she couldn't quite hear what, and it didn't matter yet. As they got set up on stage, the show played clips of the week's highlights, including Rose's reaction to his disability. The audience laughed, but she groaned. This show was killing her.

The second the lights came on, Rose stood up straight and smiled. When she looked at Dezel, she felt certain this wasn't going to be terrible.

The cha cha cha was a fast paced dance - with every spin, Rose could feel her skirt brush against her legs, and it was off-putting. The live band was deafening, and the lights were bright, and Rose felt dizzy.

_ When I am with you, there's no place I'd rather be _.

That lyric always made her laugh: she was sure they would both rather be elsewhere.

The performance ended with Rose pressed against Dezel's, their chests heaving as she fought to keep smiling. She wasn't sure if the make-up was running down her face or if that was only sweat. After a moment's pause, the pair separated to applause before making their way to the judges. Rose thought they had done well and was optimistic until she saw Melchior's face. Oh boy.

“That was somethin’,” Shigure started, leaning back on his chair. “You kept to a beat, but it wasn’t the beat of the song. Always one step off.”

“I will say it looked like you had fun,” Artorius added, “but that is the nicest thing I can say. Your footwork was very sloppy.”

Melchior shrugged. "You need to stop looking at your partner and your feet. Chin up, smile more."

Were the judges so critical of everyone, or did she notice it more because they were criticising _ her _ ? She looked at Dezel, unsure - had things really gone so bad? He offered nothing, but an arm looped around her shoulders in a move that was meant to _ look _ comforting. It didn't feel comforting.

"Tough crowd," Magilou hummed, almost bored. "There's always next week!"

Sure, there was next week, as this week was only a practice run. Next week was the real deal. Rose was not looking forward to it.

***

When Dezel told her the next dance was a Charleston, Rose groaned. Two fast paced dances in a row - Dezel was trying to kill her, she was sure of it. They bombed last week, so how he thought this would go better, she didn't know. He didn't seem the optimistic type, unless this was a form of career suicide.

Monday week two went better than Monday week one. The studio was becoming a second home, and while Dezel remained the same as ever, Rose was growing more used to him. His frown became less intimidating when that was his default facial expression. The only time Rose had seen him smile was in screenshots of their performance, and even then it wasn't a good capture.

She wondered if Dezel was always this grumpy or if this was a persona. His personal life was none of her business, and she knew that, but she was curious. Who was he outside the show? Did he have any friends? Any family? A-

"Are you listening?" Dezel asked.

No. "Duh," she said, waving her hand.

Dezel didn't look impressed, but he hadn't been impressed with Rose so far. He folded his arms over his chest.

"What is it?" he asked.

Rose wasn't about to tell him she was thinking about his personal life. She shook her head.

"I was just thinking about last week, you know?"

"Then don't," he said. "You'll only rile yourself up."

Rose assumed he meant to be supportive, but his brash manner of speaking left much to be desired. Still, she tried not to take it personally. Act or not, Dezel was still like that.

His humour didn't improve much over the week, and at points his temper was shorter. It wasn't Rose's fault - she wasn't Dezel. She hadn't spent years perfecting her dancing like he had. She'd spent years avoiding it. While he was performing on stage, she was performing on the track. She tried to bite back her own frustration with him for the sake of peace, but that wouldn't last for long. Not if he didn't calm down.

The only time Dezel wasn't so uptight was when the cameras were in the studio. Even then, he went from a ten on the uptight scale to a nine and a half. The cameras were waiting for fun banter and zany antics, but Dezel was not one for fun.

By Friday afternoon, Rose knew how the performance would end. And she was dreading it.

***

Rose kept smoothing out the tassels of her light green dress. They would be the first ones up, and she wasn't ready. The good news was that she wasn't going after a good pair. The bad news was that Lailah and Zaveid were going after her, and from the nines and ten they got last week… It wasn't going to look good for her.

The highlights reel played, though it felt more like a low light reel._ Next week will be better, _ she told herself, but that was assuming they'd last another week. She took a moment to compose herself and, as the lights came on, Rose put on her biggest smile.

Rose's new technique was to try and relax, instead falling into the rhythm of the song. It didn't work. She was one step behind no matter what. Her mind fell back to the disaster of the previous week, and she stepped hard on Dezel's foot. Even over the band, she could hear him swear.

_ Practice makes perfect, I'm still trying to learn it by heart. _

Did Dezel purposefully pick songs that would sneak to Rose? It certainly felt that way.

Facing the judges this time was less nerve wracking, but that was because she knew what she was in for that time. The criticism was much the same, with the added bonus of stamping on Dezel's foot. She muttered an apology for it, and he muttered something back the Rose couldn't quite catch.

They were led backstage, and Rose looked over at Dezel. She didn't say anything, but she put a hand on his arm for both support and as an apology. This was his career, after all. They held their breaths as the judges gave their scores.

Melchior: four.

Artorius: six.

Shigure: five.

That wasn't great - a total of fifteen - but it wasn't straight zeroes like Rose expected. She squeezed Dezel's arm and he touched her hand for a moment. Magilou filled up the screen then to encourage the audience to call in and vote for their favourite acts. This week, one couple would be knocked out based on both judges' scores and the audiences' votes.

The next hour was agony to sit through. Most of the performances were good - or they could stand each other long enough to be on stage together. Eizen and Eleanor pulled off an elegant waltz, while Alisha and Sorey performed a near flawless quickstep. Each dance discouraged Rose further and further.

Rose knew then that they were screwed.

The votes were counted, the decisions made, and Rose didn't know what she was hoping for. Part of her hoped she was right, and that she and Dezel would part ways as unlikely friends. More than anything, she wanted to be wrong. She wanted to go through, she wanted--

"Rose and Dezel."

The spotlight highlighted both of them like criminals. She instinctively grabbed his hand and he squeezed her hand, though they both tried to keep their cool. The light over them was bright, blinding, burning. Dezel's hand was clammy - or was that her own? She couldn't tell anymore.

"Wow, look at that! Looks like you're safe for another week."

Rose threw her arms around him and practically jumped on him. Dezel made a groan of disapproval, followed by muffled words she could only assume meant _ get off me _. Rose took an extra second before she let go, grinning. Holy shit, they'd actually made it.

How long would they last for? Rose was excited to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

Monday morning all over again. This time, Rose was the first one to arrive. She had a travel mug full of the hotel's coffee, cheap shit that helped her stay awake. She had dumped enough sugar and creamer into it that it barely tasted of coffee anymore, but it would keep her awake. She leaned against the wall and yawned. She had stayed up the previous night 'studying' previous contestants on the show; she gave up by 3am when she realised she wasn't learning anything and was only passively watching the contestants.

Rose was paying for last night. Even the table looked like a perfect place to nap on. She leaned her head on the wall and closed her eyes. A moment's rest, and she would be ready to go. The lights clicked off and she fluttered her eyes open.

"Hey! Don't turn out the lights," she said.

Dezel paused, before flicking the switch back on. "Rose? You're early."

"Don't sound so surprised. Jeez, I'm late and you get mad, I'm early and you get confused, is there any winning with you?" Rose grinned. "Wait, yes there is. We're gonna win."

"Did you get here early just for that segue?"

"What? No. I was up anyway," she shrugged.

Dezel shrugged off his jacket and placed it on the hook behind the door. He fished his phone from his pocket and went over to the sound system. Rose was excited: they had survived long enough for Movie Week. There were so many choices of movie themes to pick from that Rose couldn't wait to find out what Dezel had picked. He plugged his phone into the auxiliary cord.

"This week, we're doing a James Bond movie,"he said.

Dezel pressed play before Rose could ask questions. The song began with a swell of violins, and Rose's excitement peaked. She expected  _ Skyfall _ or  _ Diamonds Are Forever _ . The song was neither of those. Her excitement died at the first word of the song. She hit pause, then put a hand on her hip.

" _ Writing's On The Wall? _ Are you serious?" Rose asked. "This is pretty much yelling that we're done."

The title was a kiss of death to Rose, but clearly Dezel didn't see it that way. She huffed. The song was a boring, half-hearted wail of sound. There were plenty of better  _ James Bond _ themes, but Dezel picked that one. It wasn't the worst one, but...

"Can't we change it?"

"We make our choices before the show starts, so no, we can't," Dezel said.

There went Rose's idea.

For this song, they would be performing a rumba, a slow and more intimate dance than they had previously performed. When Dezel informed her of this, Rose laughed. She wasn't sure if it was out of embarrassment or genuine amusement, but she couldn't stop laughing. Rose knew the show wouldn't be all charlestons and cha cha chas, but she didn't expect the more sensual dances so soon.

The problem with performing a dance like that was that they didn't like each other; or rather, Dezel acted like he couldn't stand her very existence. She couldn't figure out what she had done wrong. Sure, she couldn't dance - she certainly wasn't the likes of Eleanor or Lailah - but she thought that being nice to him would count for something. Then again, did kindness ever win competitions? Did kindness equal talent?

It struck her then: Dezel saw Rose the dud of the year.

There was a dud celebrity every year, and usually that dud went to the same person. With Dezel being the new dancer on the show, and his disability, it was only natural for him to be paired with  _ the dud _ . This was the cold nature of show business. Rose bristled at the thought. She would have to work harder to prove her worth - and Dezel's as well.

"What?"Dezel asked. When Rose made a noise of confusion, he added, "you're pulling faces."

Rose looked down at herself, then shrugged. "Sorry, got a little lost for a sec. You mind if we start over?"

He sighed harshly. "Try to keep up."

It wasn't like Rose to over think things, but something about Dezel made her feel like she had to second guess herself. She was sure it was thanks to his harsh looks and harsher attitude, but maybe she was imagining it. She had never been insecure before: she knew her talents and stuck to them. Dancing was so far out of her comfort zone, so unlike what she was used to. Shoved into heels, into a nice little dress instead of her sneakers and shorts?

How the hell had she made it to week three? She wasn't sure. She was getting the hang of it, she told herself.

That is, until Wednesday.

Rose had hoped that by Wednesday, the pair could pull off a passable dance. She could remember the steps, and she thought she was doing fine. She was aware of how stiff she was, but she couldn't help herself; she was no prude, but she wasn't used to having hands on her body like this. She wasn't used to touches, to another face barely an inch away from hers. It screwed with her head more than she cared to admit.

The problem was, that heady feeling did not translate onto the dancefloor. Rose caught a glimpse of them in the mirror, and whatever confidence she had was shattered in that moment. Dezel was standing behind her, hands on Rose's hips in a manner she assumed was meant to look intimate, but did not. Instead, it looked awkward, like two middle schoolers at their first school dance. Rose pulled away, uncomfortable.

"I need the bathroom," she said.

"We're in the middle of practice."

His protests went ignored as Rose walked out the room regardless.

The bathrooms were at the other end of the building, which wasn't so great when Rose needed the bathroom. This time, she was glad for the walk. By noon, the rest of the dance studios were in use with the door closed; practice had to be squeezed in between the schedules of the celebrities. Despite the sound proofing, Rose could stop faintly hear music coming from the rooms, piquing her curiosity.

Through the glass pane in the doors, Rose could see the other couples. She watched Zaveid twirl Lailah as her skirt fanned out around her, laughing. He laughed with her and held her after she stopped, clearly dizzy and still almost toppled in his arms. In the next room, Eleanor had scooped Eizen into her arms like he was her bride what was a display of strength. Of course, a beat later and she dropped him. Rose laughed, but quickly darted when she felt eyes on her. In another room, Sorey and Alisha were taking a break, but they were chatting while they leaned against one of the walls.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what the other couples had, but she and Dezel did not: chemistry. Though she'd heard rumours that some of the couples didn't like each other off the dance floor, they could stand each other for long enough to perform. Rose hummed to herself as she washed her hands in the bathroom; she had to fix this.

The first problem: Dezel was an asshole. The second problem: Rose wasn't trying to get to know him. Was she thinking too hard about this, or was she not thinking enough? She splashed cold water on her face and pulled herself together - like it or not, the show must go on.

When she got back, Dezel was sitting down, talking into his phone. As soon as he saw her, he stopped, instead putting his phone back down. She put her hands on her hips and grinned triumphantly.

"You didn't run away, then."

"Not yet," she said. "I wanna see this through until the very end."

Even if there was a chance that end would be the end of the week, Rose would keep pushing.

***

Friday afternoon was their last chance to practice before the live shows.

It was also in full costume, with the sound and lighting team on set. Rose would never get used to the synthetic, soft red light following her around. It was eerie, like the lighting was trying to zone in on her flaws. Still, the rumba was a lot nicer on the ankles than previous dances, especially when she was expected to float around on heels. Honestly, why couldn't Dezel be the one to wear heels instead? He'd probably suit them, too.

"Do I have to keep telling you to pay attention?"

"I'm paying attention!"Rose said.

He gave her a disbelieving look, but said nothing else. He gestured for her to come to him, and she did. The music started up again, and she swore she would hear this song on a loop at the gates of hell. It was hard to focus when she could feel him scrutinize her every breath but saying nothing. Rose almost wished he would yell at her, something beyond the uncomfortable silence.

This was a dance of passion, of lost love falling apart. Yet Rose can't even fake being in love with Dezel, not for any amount of money or victory.

They took a break, and Rose sat down. Her dress felt so tight that she couldn't breathe, but she wasn't going to let it show. It was a tight-fitting black dress, with the fabric shimmering just right in the light. Dezel's outfit is a perfectly dishevelled suit, making him look far more handsome than he has any right to be. She snatched her bottle of water and took a big gulp, before staring at Dezel. He was so quiet that it was difficult to know what he was thinking.

"What?" he asked. "You're staring again."

Rose folded her arms over her chest. "You don't like me, do you?"

Dezel sighed. "I didn't say that."

"You don't have to. It's fine, you know."

"I don't dislike you."

It sure didn't feel that way. She fiddled with the cap of her bottle, watching Dezel. He was such a hard person to read, with his expression neutral at best. Perhaps that was how he normally was, but she couldn't tell. She didn't know anything about him, and that unsettled her. Week three, and all she knew was surface level stuff.

"We don't have to like each other,"he said.

"We don't, but I dunno. I'd like to be friends."

Dezel paused for a moment, before saying, "we should get back to practice."

Rose opened her mouth to argue, but what was the point? She put down her drink and tugged her dress down as she stood, and Dezel offered his hand to her. There was no humour in his gesture, no kindness, only automatic movement. Rose slipped her hand in his and let him lead the dance. She wondered how much longer she would have to deal with this. At their rate, they wouldn't have much longer: two weeks tops. Yet Rose seemed to be the only one wanting to make the most of their time together.

It will be over soon. Rose wasn't sure if she was glad or not.

***

Saturday always came too quickly, but during this, it came even quicker than usual.

Were they ready this week? Rose didn't know. She felt like she was getting better at dancing, but she wasn't sure. She was more steady on heels, a skill that no amount of track and field could have prepared her for. Her feet didn't hurt as much as they did before, though she felt like she was wobbling. Was she? She leaned on Dezel, who didn't seem to mind. Then again, she still could not read him. They waited backstage, impatiently watching Magilou prance about on stage via a screen.

That girl was something else. She had an energy on stage that couldn't be matched by anyone else, but there was something about her Rose wasn't quite fond of - but she didn't dislike her. Magilou was one mystery Rose never wanted to uncover. She put her hand on Dezel's arm.

"You ready?"she asked.

"Are you?"

"Born ready! Nothing to be scared of, right?"

There was plenty to be scared of. Failure, for one. She held onto his arm tighter. They were set to be second on stage that evening, right after Sorey and Alisha. He was holding his own pretty well, but he certainly wasn't the perfect dancer. At least Dezel and Rose weren't going first, but at the same time, she would rather get it over and done with. Prance on stage for two minutes, then get off.

The first pair were called to the dancefloor, and Rose bounced on her heels, anxiously. Two minutes before showtime. She couldn't help herself. This had to go better than their past two performances, it had to. She kept her eyes trained on the screen; Sorey wasn't any better than last week, but he looked like he was having fun. He had a sizable fanbase behind him as a television presenter for some documentaries Rose had never watched. That was likely the only thing keeping him here - for now.

Rose would have to outperform Sorey. That was easier said than done.

"I mean, we've got this, right? Past two weeks have sucked, but we can pull it together."

Dezel scoffed. "Don't write cheques your body can't cash."

There was a touch of amusement in his voice - or maybe she was imagining it. She nudged him, grinning up at him.

"Try me."

As the first couple's performance came to a close, Rose had Dezel by the hand and dragged him down to the stage, faking a smile the whole way. She wasn't scared. She wasn't scared as the studio played a clip show of their week which showed a handful of highlights -  _ highlights  _ being an overstatement. It was all fake, playful banter between ‘friends' that was mostly Rose trying, and Dezel remaining frozen beside her. It felt weird even thinking of Dezel as a friend, so she didn't.

The lights were turned low, and as the music began, a deep red light filled the stage. She sucked in her breath and relaxed.

Dezel's hand on her brought a feeling to the surface that she didn't want to think about nor acknowledge. It sparked a fire in her, and for a moment too long, she forgot what the hell they were meant to be doing. He was close, too close. It was no different to their week's practice, and Rose knew that. It was no different to practice yesterday, with the lights and the costume. Yet it felt different and new in a way that made her skin tingle.

_ For you I have to risk it all, ‘cause the writing's on the wall, _ the song droned on.

Dezel pushed her away, and Rose fell into an easy twirl. When they came together again, they grabbed the other's face desperately, his face not even a millimetre away from her own. His breath is hot on her face and she's staring at him with wide eyes. His eyes are green - really green, vivid, pretty. Before Rose has a chance to dwell, Dezel turns away. Rose chases after him, and he catches her in his arms in a tight embrace.

This should not feel so good, it shouldn't be messing with her head so much, but it was. Her heart was pounding from exertion and from something else, something she would not touch.

They end their performance by pushing themselves apart, backs to each other. The crowd broke into applause, and Rose smiled, before turning back to Dezel. She clapped a hand on his shoulder as they approached the judge's table, and this time, he sat a hand on her hip.

Shigure clapped his hands together. "Now  _ that's _ somethin'! The way you were moving out there? There's passion in you."

Passion, huh. Rose glanced over at Dezel, who tightened his grip on her. She kept smiling for the cameras, but her heart was trying to break free from her chest. She leaned into Dezel's embrace, because it felt weirdly natural. She'd always been affectionate with friends, but calling Dezel a friend felt  _ weird _ . They were soon dismissed backstage, before the judges gave their scores.

Two sixes and a five. Better than last week. Rose couldn't help but laugh with glee.

"You think we made it?"Rose asked in a hushed whisper. "I think that was our best dance, you know? Not just a live show, but in general. I mean, you felt that, right?"

"Rose."

There was no annoyance in his voice, but there was something there that she couldn't place. She took the hint and stopped talking - for the moment. They watched the other performances, some weaker than others. She hoped they were just weaker than her performance, but she wasn't sure. She wouldn't be sure until Magilou announced her as  _ safe _ . She folded her arms behind her head, shifting her weight from one leg to another.

She had never been so excited for the results.

Of course, Magilou had to drag it on just that touch longer, trying to banter with the judges who were having none of it - or rather, Artorious and Melchior weren't. Shigure was enjoying himself, laughing with Magilou. Rose heard Rokurou whisper something to Velvet, but she didn't catch what. Eventually, Magilou turned her attention to the couples.

"You're all winners in my eyes,"she cooed, "well, except for this week's losers. Let's find out together who's in and who's out!"

Her smile was less of a smile and more of a smirk. She called out couples, one by one. First was Mikleo and Edna, who had somehow made it through. Then it was Zaveid and Lailah, the former of which embraced the latter when they also got through. Then it was Rose and Dezel who were let through. Despite Rose throwing her arm around Dezel's shoulder, a nagging feeling nipped at her heels. They were safe for another week. That should be good, right?

Another week with Dezel. Another week of dealing with him, the mysterious aura around him, and whatever the hell tonight was all about. For now, she would simply be content with their victory, until next week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Next chapter is HERE, after a few months of silence. So what happened is, the day after I posted chapter 1, I got FE3H and... yeah. Now I'm back for sweet sweet Dezerose content. This did not go as I wanted the chapter to go, but oh well! This is just a glorified songfic and idc. Writing is hard. Shoutout to the only two people who will read this lmao
> 
> Bug me on [Tumblr](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com) || [Twitter](https://twitter.com/vehicroids)

**Author's Note:**

> If you're wondering why the hell I did this AU, I have a good reason [right here](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/70/ff/69/70ff693a41dd29b71da8549d1a6a8d5f.png). That's it that's my reasoning
> 
> No schedule, I'll just post when I want. Today's the first live shows of Strictly Come Dancing (British Dancing with the Stars) so I've been waiting til then to post this
> 
> So for those who've been asking for more DezeRose: are you sorry yet? :'D
> 
> Bug me on [Tumblr](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com) || [Twitter](https://twitter.com/vehicroids)


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